Belated Bizarre Foods Monday: Stuffed Elk Heart

This is a belated post because I did something exceedingly stupid last night while cooking this; I grabbed the handle of the skillet I’d had in the oven at 450 degrees and burnt my hand to hell and back.

Unfortunately this didn’t even turn out that well. I was following a recipe that used a deer heart, which is much smaller than an elk heart, so mine didn’t cook through and the stuffing was soggy and bloody. With increased oven time, pot holders and/or a smaller heart, it could have merit.

Preheat your oven to 450 degree F.

Mix up a box of cornbread stuffing mix according to box directions.

Cut the heart down the center and trim out the tubes and other structures until you have a neat pocket to stuff.

Stuff half of the stuffing into the heart, you’ll discard this stuffing as it’s not food-safe after contact with raw meat. Bake the other half alongside it in a separate dish to restuff the heart with later. Sew up the heart or secure it shut with bamboo stakes or toothpicks.

In an oven safe pan, sear the stuffed heart on all sides, about 3 minutes each side. Place in oven for an additional 10-15 minutes, until heart is cooked through.

Remove soggy stuffing and replace with nice crispy stuffing that baked along with the heart in a separate dish. Serve sliced.